


THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

by TheaBloom



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Fix-It of Sorts, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Dyad (Star Wars), Force Healing, Mustafar (Star Wars), Planet Naboo (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:07:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22309150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheaBloom/pseuds/TheaBloom
Summary: A re-imagining of JJ Abrams and Chris Terrio's "Star Wars:  The Rise of Skywalker," this version contains original ideas as well as ones inspired by the original concept arts and script rumors while still calling back to the real Episode IX.  While the film has enjoyable moments, there are still some elements that do not hold up as strong under heavy scrutiny.  Hopefully this fic can right some wrongs and develop more themes and conflicts while still maintaining that Star Wars-ian spirit.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Think of this as an intricate novelization! Scheduling of chapters will be irregular from now on.

_A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…_

_Cold war! One year has passed since the destruction of Starkiller Base and the death of legendary Jedi Master LUKE SKYWALKER. The iron grip of the FIRST ORDER has gradually spread throughout the galaxy since then._

_Escaping the clutches of the First Order after the Battle of Crait, the remaining Resistance fighters led by LEIA ORGANA has established a temporary base on the allied planet NABOO, desperate for allies to contact them._

_Determined to wipe out all that is remaining, KYLO REN, the new Supreme Leader of the FIRST ORDER, has begun limiting communication between all neighboring systems but still struggles with the pull of the LIGHT…_

The onslaught just never seemed to stop. The woods lit up with bright red and yellow lights from blasters and the small fires crackling in the dry bushes. People, creatures- whatever they were- dressed in strange black garb kept charging at him, wielding various dark iron pole weapons. Some even managed to take down a small handful of stormtroopers and scavenge their weapons for themselves. Their method was pitiful in hindsight, with no clear intention of strategy whatsoever, just swarming the small militia that was stalking their way.

Kylo Ren lost track of how many he had killed so far. His only goal was to keep going.

His mind was ablaze as he fought off a pair of the strange individuals that ran toward him. One of them got directly into his face, its small beady red fluorescent lenses for eyes boring into him. Its small leather cape flapped in the wind behind it and its almost black fabric covered hat hung down to the back of its neck.

There were rumors about a strange cult gathered on Mustafar, how they frightened many a village. Several accounts of them gathered around sites muttering unholy, almost unintelligible words. Apparently there were spread out it specific locations: the filthy underbelly of Coruscant, the grasslands of Kef Bir to name a few. They were a hive mind species, worshipping one thing and one thing only, so much so that they vainly dressed like their idol.

The Alazmec of Winsit, they were called. Worshippers, or as they referred to themselves, disciples of Darth Vader.

The very family member Kylo used to worship once. He still kept his grandfather’s burnt, shriveled mask in his chambers. It served as a burning reminder of what he still strived to be- a powerful Force wielder who once ruled the galaxy. Snoke had tried to groom him into a copy of his grandfather.

But the past had to die. Including his former masters.

Now, looking upon the face of a lowly cultist, whose masked face gazed at him, Kylo was getting annoyed.

He used his lightsaber to slam the cultist to the ground, driving the blade into its chest as he regained his momentum getting up. Twirling his weapon in his hand carelessly, he feinted a blow toward another cultist only to backhand drive the blade through its collarbone. He snapped his head toward another cultist nearby and stuck his hand out. The Force flowed through him as the cultist grabbed at its neck and let out a shrill squeal of pain. Kylo gestured upward and drove the cultist straight into a sharp tree branch. The squeals stopped soon after.

After that, everything began to blur. His body moved on autopilot. His sudden movements sent ashen soil splashing around him. His hands gripped his lightsaber with determination.

He made sure nothing else was living.

The brigade of stormtroopers with him held back. They were all aware of the Supreme Leader’s volatile temperament and knew not to interrupt him. To them, he looked like a swirling black cloud of violence. Many of them knew that the cultists desperately running to attack him were completing suicide missions at best. The red blade sang in the air as it drove through bodies left and right. One cultist tried to run up behind him but Kylo sensed it. He outstretched his hand and flicked it to the side. The stormtroopers watched in shock as the cultist was suddenly flung to the side, smashing its head into a tree. Another cultist ran right up to him but Kylo grabbed it by the wrist and yanked it up, slashing its arm off with an animalistic grunt.

Finally, Kylo staggered to a stop. His chest heaved in exhaustion and his tangled black locks hung in his face. The ashen ground was littered with bodies. Smoke danced around behind him as the fires kept burning. Soil covered his eyes and nose and sweat began to drip down from his forehead. His dirty gloved hands trembled with adrenaline. His head began to swirl, calming itself from all the momentum.

 _Ben_ …

Kylo looked around. He snapped his dry eyes closed with an irritated groan then turned toward the woods before him. 

Just beyond the edge of the woods, visible through the smoke, something shimmered. The sun above him made it even brighter, making him blink and see afterimages on the irontrees around him. Even the smell of it cleared up his lungs and allowed him to relax.

A lake. Which meant he found what he was looking for.

“This is for myself alone.” He said, not even turning to address his troops. “Half of you get back to the ship so that we take out any intruders left.”

One of the stormtroopers began to call out a response back but the Supreme Leader stalked away, the lightsaber still crackling in his hand.

\---

The walk to the lakeside was longer than he expected it to be. The soil beneath him quickly turned into sand, causing him to lighten his step as he went. The heat from his unstable lightsaber licked at the sand, making glass shards form and instantly crack. He lost track of how many holes there were that he almost stumbled in. Even more cultist bodies lay around him but they were the fortunate ones, the ones who managed to scurry away before any more grievous injuries happened. Kylo knew that they did not last long afterward.

He skid to a stop a few meters away from the edge and extinguished his lightsaber. Clipping it back onto his belt, he looked around dubiously. The whole environment felt out of place. The Alazmec had tried in vain to save it by planting the irontrees and introducing the large lake that sat before him but it did nothing to affect the rest of the area. Fires still made their way up the dead trees around him and the ground was still grey and black. Even the plants littering the other side of the lake were in flames.

The hair on the back on his neck rose in alarm and his eyes began to burn. This was where he needed to be.

Kylo reached his hand out and closed his eyes. “Come to me.”

Before he could reach inside for the Force, the ground shuddered beneath him. He opened his eyes and watched the lake tremble in response. Bubbles began to rise to the surface and a fine spray of water shot into the air. The water finally parted and something raised its head towards him. Dark water dripped down from its ruddy wrinkled head and bubbles popped from its nostrils when it sniffed. The wrinkles and folds around its strange neck were so pronounced that black algae built up underneath them. As it continued to rise, Kylo could make out eight spindly legs- six on the side, two small bent claws up front under its bulbous chest. It raised itself up and repositioned itself on a large red orb that surfaced soon after. A sick, suctioning sound followed as the creature sat back down and scooted back. Letting out a growl of frustration, it poked one of its front legs on the orb below it and it sank slightly.

This was the Oracle of Mustafar. Snoke had told him about a creature employed by the Sith of old once during his training. An all-powerful being in the Living Force that provided individuals with insight, prophetic counsel. It told the answer to everything in the galaxy- something considered a mad man’s dream of obtaining. An off citizen from the planet Moraband, it had immersed itself with the volcanic terrain and changed itself to match. Kylo could make out evidence of old burnt hair that ran down the middle of its head and the thin strips of skin on its legs. 

The Oracle blinked at him. It sucked in a breath, the sound full of liquid and loose flesh slapping against its small wrinkled mouth. The voice that passed from it was creaky and trembled with age. “What are you doing here?” It asked.

“I seek the truth.”

He did not expect the Oracle to scoff at him. The creature slowly used its front legs to lean toward him, sticking its squat head out. “Of course you do. Everyone who comes here tells me the exact same thing.” It reached down to pick off a burning leaf that had floated onto the orb below and tossed it back into the water.

“I’m the Supreme Leader of the First Order; my case is different.”

The Oracle hummed in acknowledgement. Even the hum seemed like a personal insult to him. “Did you kill them all then?”

“I did.”

The Oracle sighed. “I figured. Most of the others left them alone.”

Kylo smirked. “I guess the others _died_ then, I suppose?”

“Eventually.” Another fine spray of water shot up from below and the Oracle tapped the orb in thought. It then gestured toward its own wrinkled face. “I’m surprised you didn’t wear your mask to protect your human lungs.”

“I don’t need it. I have the Force to support me.”

The Oracle sucked in another breath and scooted down the orb to look him in the eye, leaving a slightly opaque circle of slime behind it. “There is conflict in you. What truth do you seek?”

“ _The_ truth. Any of them.”

“Hmmm…” The creature scooted back up then began to rub the large red orb underneath it. Kylo wrinkled his nose at the strange affair. The Oracle’s motions were slow and languid, its legs pressing into the orb as if it were soothing a swollen belly. Some of the creature’s back legs began to twitch in excitement (or whatever emotion was going through its mind) as the orb began to glow. Kylo took a step forward as the orb began to change color. The small waves licked at his boots but he paid no attention. The orb flashed black to scarlet to orange then back to red as something began to appear behind it. The Oracle cooed and rapped at the orb once to make the image clearer.

At first, Kylo saw his reflection gazing back at him. The fires then began to die and his reflection morphed into something else. The air became so dry that he had to wet his lips for moisture. He watched as his reflection grew smaller and lighter. The Oracle rubbed at the orb once more with another unearthly grunt and the image came through in a small burst of yellow light.

He hated it.

 _She_ looked back at him, breathing in sync with him. When he moved, so did she. He raised his head defiantly, watching her copy him. A perfect reflection. It was easy to get lost in her eyes, to trace the shape of her face.

The Oracle tilted its head toward him with an interested hum. “There’s a girl. _Rey_.”

“What about her?” He snarled.

Her face in the image became ugly, silently copying his snarl.

The Oracle rubbed the orb behind it once more and she disappeared. “You still seek the Dark Side. This place amplifies your passion, your hatred. But there’s still… a small… inkling. Another passion, maybe.” Spit dribbled onto the orb as the creature unfurled a set of small fangs. “You harbor feelings for this girl, _Supreme Leader_.”

“My only passion is for strength. I don’t need anyone else to achieve my goal to conquer the galaxy.”

The Oracle bared its fangs at him for a brief moment then scratched at the orb with its back legs. “Conquer the galaxy? That’s a bold move. A man can have many passions. The desire to dominate, possess- so many. If you limit yourself to one thing and one thing only- that will not calm your mind.”

“ _Don’t_ tell me what is wrong with me.” Kylo snapped, jabbing a finger at it.

“There’s plenty. You didn’t need to travel here to make me tell you that.”

The image of her appeared again. This time, the Oracle scooted down and watched it. Kylo watched in anger as the creature tapped at it with one of its legs and let out another damning hum. It clicked its tongue and looked back at him. Now, instead of small beady black eyes, they were pure white, shining onto the rippling water below. “She’s pure in heart. Your opposite in the Force- _a dyad_. Your conflict has always been toward her; you _care_ too much about her to admit it. You always see her when you close your eyes at night. The thought of her by your side makes you feel safe. The thought of her surrounded by others makes you puff in anger. This beautiful, powerful, ferocious-”

“I didn’t come for this.”

The Oracle scoffed again, cocking its head to the side. “You asked for _any_ truth.”

He shook his head. “I don’t care about _this one_. She’s _nothing_. I’ve destroyed whatever hope her rebel alliance had months ago.”

The slow blinking that followed from the Oracle made him tremble with anger. Kylo slowed his breathing and took another step forward. “Something is surging inside me. I seek guidance to understand it. From… _someone_.”

The Oracle dipped its head with a sigh then rapped at the orb with one claw. The image of Rey disappeared and something else appeared. Small, black, shriveled and burnt. He the object all too well; it sat in his quarters in a pile of ashes. “…your grandfather then?”

“Yes.”

The Oracle scooted back up with another disgusting squelch and turned its head toward something in the distance. “Do you know that’s his castle up there?”

Kylo followed its gaze. Peeking out from the smoke and the tall jagged rocks stood a tall black stronghold. High above the Gahenn Plains, it had been built more than thirty years ago by Vader with the assistance of a Sith believer named Momin. Although he had never stepped foot inside, Kylo knew the fortress inside and out. He had studied it meticulously, imagining himself on the obsidian precipice, overlooking the dark land and watching the lava flow down from the volcanoes nearby. 

“The Alazmec tend to it every day, preserving it. It’s bound to succumb to the elements any day now, I suppose.” The Oracle added with a small shrug of its back legs.

“I don’t _care_ about his _castle_. I’ve been seeking his guidance for… ages… and nothing. Not one _crumb_ of information I can glean from him! Just a sign, anything, from…”

The words he was searching for slipped from his mind. All that he could let out was a small sigh of frustration, scrunching up his nose and looking away. “I’ve been left alone. Again.”

The Oracle leaned toward him. Kylo knew the creature could sense the resentment stirring in him: from Han, Leia, Vader, Snoke, and now Rey. All of them had left him. He began to tremble as it all came to a front: resentment, anger, fear, everything he had experienced slaving away under Snoke’s thumb, puncturing his soul as if were a ruined piece of fabric.

The orb began to shudder under the Oracle and began to rise above the water. A pair of solid blank eyes peeked out at him. It looked like the remnants of a shining, living statue. Bloated, pear shaped, bubbles surged to the surface. Kylo wanted to take a step back but he felt glued to the spot. The Oracle scratched at the red head beneath and the pair of eyes disappeared. The creature’s front legs rubbed at the surface again and another image appeared. “ _That_ I can help with.”

Kylo expected his reflection to appear again and morph into something else but instead it was a large black hole. The head shuddered underneath the Oracle, who began to coo softly. Another fine spray shot up from under the water and the image became clearer and larger. A large black hole appeared, swallowing up the rest of the surface and softly pulsing as if were a vein.

“There is a pit, swallowed… by the Dark Side of the Force. Back from where you came from.” The Oracle’s voice was grave in tone. “Something in there will help you. Or it may not.”

Kylo’s eyebrows rose incredulously. “ _’It may **not**_?’”

The Oracle scooted toward him again, slime running down the giant red head now sinking back down into the lake. “You must go there. And leave your weapon behind.”

“Leave my weapon- like I’m going to do that.”

The Oracle sighed, closing its eyes. The white light still shone behind its almost translucent eyelids. It had become just as frustrated as he was. It sat back with another slick suctioning sound and pressed all its legs against the giant head as it sank back underwater. The ground shuddered again and the lake trembled, sending small waves onto his feet. Kylo watched until the last portion of its wrinkled head disappeared then turned to trudge back to his ship.


	2. Chapter 2

**_30 ABY_ **

_“Where is your mask, my apprentice?”_

_Kylo kept his face blank as he closed the doors behind him. “I didn’t bring it.”_

_“Very good. You’re paying attention this time.”_

_He averted his eyes at the jab, his jaw starting to clench. He then slowly made his way over to the thin leather seats, sinking down into one of them and leaning forward, placing his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together. His hands began to sweat in his gloves and he quickly glanced up at his master sitting across him._

_Snoke was growing older, his body betraying him. Before, he was able to keep up with Kylo in their walks, standing tall and walking as if he was floating across the ground. Now his legs were growing atrophied, bent at an awkward angle. His master was able to walk several feet before having to turn around to sit once more. He had discarded the peasant clothes he used to wear for something far grander: an outfit spun of gold, reeking in wealth and comfort. Without his hat, Kylo could plainly see the giant scar that ran down from the middle of Snoke’s head to his wispy brows. He had many theories as to his master’s frail, twisted appearance but he feared voicing them aloud. The large obsidian rings still adorned the man’s gnarled fingers, which now sported growing grey nails long and pointed enough to be claws._

_His master noticed him. “Any updates on Starkiller Base?”_

_Kylo mechanically sat up in his seat, keeping his gaze down respectively. “There’s-“_

_“Speak up, boy.”_

_He looked up to face his master. “Hux has scoured the planet for kyber crystals to fuel the engine. From what I’ve heard… he’s found hundreds.”_

_Snoke nodded slowly. He sat back for a moment then chuckled, leaning forward once more and placing his gnarled fingers on a tall black-and-gold cane. “Did you know why he was able to find so many? Despite his massive inferiority to the likes of us?” He questioned, lifting a finger toward Kylo._

_Kylo flinched when the ship exited hyperspace, grabbing the seat cushion before him. His master remained still, staring at him._

_Kylo nodded. “Starkiller used to be Ilum. I’ve visited the planet before.”_

_“Did you hear the crystals hum?”_

_“I did.”_

_Snoke smiled. “Marvelous sounds they make. Many Jedi knights would take their apprentices to that planet to find their own crystal. So many young naïve children like you once were. However, I am proud to say that you have proven yourself and risen higher than they could have ever been.”_

_The garbled voice of the alien pilot came on over the overhead intercom. They were in the atmosphere._

_“Where are we?” Kylo wondered aloud._

_“Someplace your so-called family was once very familiar with.” Snoke waved his hand in the air and the viewports behind Kylo opened. He then raised an eyebrow at his apprentice._

_Kylo knew he did not need to ask. He slowly rose from his seat and looked out. At first, he winced and looked away from the planet’s reflective surface, making him see afterimages of pure white. Blinking rapidly to adjust, he looked out again. This time, he saw a great sea of sand, marked by deep canyons and small mountain ranges. He could feel the heat bouncing off the ship as it soared down to the desert planet. Two suns shone brightly in the bright blue sky._

_His heart beat faster in his chest. Kylo had heard of this planet many times before. He had heard of the strange events that occurred there, especially with Luke Skywalker: the Jawas, the Tusken Raiders, Mos Eisley. Many times, he had wondered what it would have been like, wearing a gun holster and his lightsaber around his waist and roaming the galaxy, catching the bad guys and slipping into the occasional cantina. He could get whatever he wanted._

_As soon as those blithe notions entered his mind, they disappeared. He felt something at the back of his head, as if someone was tugging at it with a string._

_Snoke growled behind him, his voice dripping in disgust. “You have too much of your father in you still. You want to leave me to explore the galaxy without qualms; there is carelessness in your heart. “_

_Kylo whipped around toward him. “I am nothing like my father!”_

_“Oh but you still are, my apprentice.” His master sat back in his seat. “That’s why it needs to extinguished.”_

_He said the only thing he could think of, the only thing that sounded right. “I would never leave you.”_

_“You want to though.”_

_“I won’t.” Kylo nodded firmly then turned toward the viewport once more._

_He heard shuffling behind him and trembled when a large hand planted itself on his shoulder, nails digging into his sleeve and collar. Willing himself to remain still and silent, Kylo kept his gaze toward the planet below._

_“Do you know what else is special about this place?” Snoke inquired, his tone growing darker as he leaned closer to the viewport. “It’s where your grandfather, Darth Vader, was born.”_

_Kylo felt his heart beat again. Even the best started at small beginnings._

_“Imagine being a poor slave being recruited to become one of the most powerful Jedi in history and later taking over the entire galaxy in less than twenty years. All the power he had in the palm of his hand!”_

_Kylo let his master turn him around to face him. The hand on his shoulder moved to graze the bottom of his chin and tilt his head up, the gnarled hand finally resting over his cheek and becoming buried in curly black locks of his hair._

_“You have the makings to overtake your grandfather in that aspect. Something truly special.” Snoke said, considering his student. “The mighty **Kylo Ren**.”_

_That was all he ever wanted. At least that was what he thought he wanted._

_Kylo’s lip trembled as he looked up at his master. His face smoothed over in resolve and he bowed his head respectfully. Snoke patted his cheek as he withdrew, which immediately made Kylo tense once more._

_His master used the Force to put their seats away then shuffled over to the doors. “My boy, come here.”_

_He stiffly made his way over and automatically offered his arm as the doors opened. Snoke pushed his arm down and walked through. Kylo did a small double take as they stepped into the loading bay, flanked by walls that would have slid all the way up when opened. Dangling safety handles from the ceiling jostled noisily above him as the plane began to decelerate._

_“My apprentice.” Snoke said softly._

_Kylo obediently knelt before him._

_Snoke studied his apprentice once more. He did not need to tap into the young man’s mind to see what he truly felt. The boy wore his heart on his sleeve, a heart still begging for something more. He still wanted to explore the galaxy; his insistence for staying was desperate and bordering on truly demented. The worship for Vader, his need to surpass him that swirled in his head seemed to be second in his mind. Headstrong, sentimental… unsubstantial. Kylo was too much like his parents._

_Snoke began to seethe. His face twisted into something far more sinister than it already was, his jaw clenched and his mouth curling into a sneer. “It seems that what I’ve said has passed through your head.”_

_Kylo heard the side doors open and immediately looked up. The sudden hot wind whipped at his face and he blinked rapidly to adjust to the sudden light once more. He rose to his feet and took a quick glance out the doors before addressing his master. “What are you doing?”_

_Snoke seemed to blend into whatever shadow remained in the cargo hold. His voice was a monstrous growl in the back of his throat. “Come back to me when you’ve proven yourself worthy of **staying as my apprentice**.”_

_“What have-“_

_Snoke flicked his fingers. The ship immediately tilted to the side, making Kylo stumble to the edge of the ship. He grabbed one of the dangling safety handles at the last second and steadied himself. His heart beat faster and faster in his chest as the safety handle wriggled out of its grasp on its own accord like a snake._

_Snoke, on his feet, his cane on the floor of the cargo hold, then thrust his gnarled hand toward Kylo. He felt an invisible pair of hands- more like hundreds of pairs- trying to shove him out, pushing him toward the edge. Black streaks appeared on the floor as he went backwards. He quickly glanced over his shoulder at the ever-growing planet surface below him._

_Kylo instinctively thrust his outstretched hand out, begging the Force to help him. He felt it all rush out of him and snap to a stop at a sudden impasse. Breathing rapidly and gritting his teeth from the effort, he looked up to see Snoke glare at him with complete disgust._

_That was something his master did not anticipate._

_Kylo began to stagger toward his master when lightning burst from Snoke’s fingertips. He began to curl in on himself in pain and finally fell back out of the ship, onto the sand dune below._

\---

**PRESENT DAY**

His excursion took that entire day. In fact, he had lied to Snoke for the second time in his life when he managed to find his master’s transport ship. He found nothing. Nothing to provide him with guidance. No one to help him. No one left to turn to.

At this point in his life, he figured he was doomed to run into dead ends. The Oracle just cemented that for him. 

Letting out a huff of anger, he made his way back to the fen full of dead cultists. The rest of the stormtroopers had done what he had asked. Only a handful of them remained where they were. He spotted fading boot prints in the ground near them. Ash began to snow onto the ground from above, casting small shadows and dropping onto his head. 

One of the stormtroopers was pushed to the front of the group. He looked back at the group with a disbelieving headshake. Adjusting his grip on his blaster, he stepped toward the Supreme Leader and stood at attention. Kylo nodded and motioned for the soldier to relax, which he did in silent relief.

“Supreme Leader, what are your orders, sir?” The stormtrooper inquired.

Kylo took a deep breath. “What are our losses?”

“Twenty, sir.”

“Twenty… twenty is enough for today.” He began to turn away when he heard it. It was almost inaudible but it was strong, a very low, vibrating groan in his ear.

Kylo turned back around as the noise grew louder. He carefully walked forward, minding the small fires that spread toward him. He looked up at the irontrees as the sun began to hide behind stormy red clouds. The whole forest, a very rare occurrence on such a planet as Mustafar, gradually grew darker. He signaled for the stormtrooper to follow his lead as the sound continued.

In front of him stood one last quivering cultist, who stood on a rock. Behind it was a large dark maw. The pit the Oracle had suggested him to go. Dying roots grew out of it, latching onto whatever fertile ground the struggling fen still provided. The smell of sulfur permeated the air. Once Kylo stepped closer, the cultist let out a growl and raised its halberd in defense. It began to speak at him but the spitting harsh alien language failed to scare him. He turned on his lightsaber and slashed it across the torso. Carelessly using the Force to toss the new corpse aside, Kylo walked up to the edge of the pit and looked down.

The groan grew louder and louder to the point where he winced in pain.

He felt something too- the constant ebbing of the Dark Side. It called out to him.

“Stay up here and shine your light down.” Kylo ordered stiffly.

“Yes sir.”

He jumped in. Sticking out his hand, he used the Force to soften his landing. Once he landed on his knees, he got up and looked around. The pit was very large. The flickering red light from his lightsaber illuminated the grotesque, peeling vines around him. A small plume of sulfuric smoke curled into the air from nearby.

Kylo looked back up and brought his hands up around his mouth. “Trooper, your light!”

The stormtrooper removed the light from his scope and tossed it down to him.

Kylo caught it easily and flicked it on. He sidestepped the small pile of larvae eggs that shrank away from the light and looked around once more. 

A great black tunnel lay before him. It stuck out from the rest of the pit, its seemingly empty entrance making him tremble with anticipation.

He knew that the red light from his lightsaber would not help his visibility so he turned it off and attached it back to his belt. Taking a deep breath and adjusting his grip on the flashlight, he advanced.

It was like entering the vacuum of space; no sound penetrated from outside and the great looming walls on each side seemed to entrap him. The air was cold and he felt his ears pop. Small triangular crystals jutted out from them, casting small prisms of light onto the muddy ground. Vines stretched out over him and more plumes of hot gas shot up from the ground and floated in the air. Kylo waved it away, turning his head away, and shined his light down the rest of the tunnel.

Dead end.

He felt something reaching for him. It had to be here.

He looked back from where he started. The feeling of dread entered his system but he knew nothing else was down there. Whatever life remained was outside, in whatever light Mustafar offered for the fen. Taking a step to the side, he placed his hand on the wall beside him to catch his breath. He felt exhausted and worn out and furious. There was nothing down here.

Kylo started to bang his fist on the wall but paused. Puzzled, he ran his hand down it. The surface felt shiny and smooth as if an artisan got his hands on it. Taking a step back, he shined his flashlight on the wall. As he had suspected, the wall was pure obsidian. Instead of the imperfections of blue flecks from the regular obsidian that he had seen in his life, this was impossibly shiny and offered a perfect reflection of himself.

He was getting tired of it all.

The mighty groan occurred again, this time right in his ear. He felt his face contort, his brow furrowing, and his rage swirling to a front in his chest. The Dark Side screamed for him, grabbing and yanking at his mind as if it was on a rack.

Something tapped the wall in front of him. Kylo raised his light and stepped toward it, acknowledging his reflection again.

Again, it was different. He looked ravaged. The bags of his eyes made his face look battered and bruised beyond relief and his scar felt inflamed. Veins decorated the scleras of his eyes. His irises, instead of the brown he had inherited from his parents, were yellow, ringed with red.

The flashlight turned off. He flicked the switch on and off then banged it on the wall in front of him. With a frustrated huff, Kylo tossed it aside and stepped back to turn his lightsaber back on. To his relief, his reflection disappeared and the tunnel was cast in brilliant red light. The vapors from the gas flowed around his feet.

Fine cracks appeared along the bottom of the wall, forming a large circle, the wall’s only imperfection. He turned his lightsaber off for a moment then turned it back on. They were still there.

Kylo knelt down and ran his fingers along the cracks. The Dark Side softly ebbed out of them. He took a deep breath, clenching his jaw, and yanked at the circle impatiently with the Force. It slid out easily and dropped to the ground, resting against his thigh. Kylo pressed his lips together, beginning to tremble, and let out a huff as he blindly reached his hand into the hole.

His fingers grabbed at whatever he could grab; dirt, small rocks, hot dead leaves. He reached his hand further in and paused as he felt something large and solid. Kylo frowned and yanked it out for a better look. Letting it drop onto his lap, he held his lightsaber above him.

It was a small stone box, presumably white, with a large circular carving on the lid. Two smaller triangular reliefs sat within the circle as well. The surface was, like the wall, strangely smooth. He used the Force to blow the dirt and debris off it and stared at it.

Kylo knew exactly what the box held. Snoke had mentioned it as well many years ago- a holocron. Or a wayfinder.

This was it. The source for his answers. For some reason, the Dark Side that came from it was weaker, frailer. It was as if it had recognized the stronger, more powerful being and surrendered. The deep groan in his ear faded.

He shoved the lid off with his hands and froze.

It was empty.

“It’s empty…” he murmured then began to seethe as he rose to his feet, turning off his lightsaber and tucking it away, nudging the lid aside and holding the box aloft. “It’s **_EMPTY_**! **_THERE’S NOTHING!_** ”

He hurled it at the ground. The box smashed to pieces, sending smooth rock bouncing off the walls. At that moment, an enormous plume of gas burst in the air, this time right in front of him. Kylo felt the gas too late and he _screamed_ in pain, collapsing to his knees and pressing his hand on his face. Slamming one hand on the ground to support himself, he tried to slow his breathing but it came out in short, panting gasps. Sharp pain swam into his cheek and his head began to buzz.

_Ben…_

Kylo snorted. He shakily rose to his feet and whipped around, daring the voice to take form and face him.

_Ben…_

Of course, it did not.

_This is where the dark path leads… an empty box…_

“ ** _Where did your path lead_**?” Kylo retorted into the open air.

Nothing.

Letting out an indignant sniff, he wheezed out a breath and slowly shuffled out of the tunnel back into the open pit, his pain hounding every one of his steps.


	3. Chapter 3

Ushar Ren studied his opponent carefully, leaning forward to stroke his chin. He knew the man sitting across from him all too well. Sometimes impulsive but able to calm his mind in the midst of a battle, he had witnessed his opponent take down a Death trooper singlehandedly. His physical prowess had no equal. Ushar had to counter the man carefully in order to pick up his pace and win. Taking a deep breath, he wagged his finger toward the man. “You sure you want to make that move?”

Trudgen Ren sat across from him, his arms crossed tight across his chest in thought. He held up a finger toward his opponent. “Hold on…”

The dejarik holo monsters whined impatiently.

Trudgen had been staring at the board for a very long time. He was clearly beating his Pantoran partner in arms and his pieces almost swamped the playing field. The other Knights of Ren in the main hold noted this particular lull in the game, either actively watching the match or trying not to watch. 

Kuruk Ren adjusted the breath screen on his helmet as he scooted over next to Ushar. He quickly scanned the board then nodded toward him. “How’s he beating you?”

Ap’lek Ren pointedly ran a whetstone across the edge of his axe, reclining back in his seat in the corner. “Because he’s cheating.”

Kuruk began to nod in agreement when Trudgen shook his head in anger and slammed his hands on the table as he stood up, making the pieces tremble. Ushar and Kuruk immediately stood up and raised their hands toward him.

“Whoa whoa whoa! You’re taking forever to play, that’s why we think you’re cheating.” Kuruk said quickly.

Trudgen growled irritably and sank back down into his seat. He shook his head and leaned over his seat toward Ap’lek. “I’m sorry, did you want to play?”

Ap’lek chuckled deep in his throat, stuffing the whetstone back onto the shelf above him. He nimbly got back onto his feet and spun his axe in his hand. “If I wanted to play, I wouldn’t have any opponents left.”

“Of course you’d say that.” Ushar muttered softly.

Trudgen shook his head. He began to reach down toward the board to make his move when all the Knights promptly felt something: a sharp sting in the Force. Some of them were not as in tune with it as the others, but they definitely felt it. It was like a sharp slap in the face. Ushar and Trudgen froze in their spots and inhaled deeply to let the feeling pass. The ship began to hum to life as they heard the stormtroopers fill into the lower loading deck. 

Vicrul Ren snapped his head up toward the doors, his nose wrinkling with a sharp inhale. “Someone’s not happy. Not happy at all.”

“He never has been.” Cardo Ren grumbled, tightening the strap of his armor.

“Ssh!” Ushar hissed toward him.

Cardo lifted his visor up to give Ushar an incredulous look before slamming it back down again.

The Knights of Ren continued to listen. Outside the main hold, another pair of doors opened followed by another. Followed by the very loud of someone stomping angrily toward the hold.

Cardo turned toward his constituents. He knew exactly what was going to happen next. “Quick, clear the deck!”

All of the Knights immediately got ready, abandoning whatever they did to pass their time before then. Kuruk swiftly turned off the dejarik board and tucked it away, letting Trudgen pass him and scooting back to his place next to the doors. Ushar adjusted his vambraces and sat down next to Trudgen, who ran a hand over his pale shaved head before sliding his helmet back on.

Ap’lek slid back into his seat in the corner on the opposite side of the hold. “Definitely cheating.”

Ushar sighed. “Ap’lek -“

“Shut up, you two!” Cardo snapped.

Vicrul leaned toward the floor, listening as the Supreme Leader grew closer and closer. The footsteps were slower now and he could hear shrill, labored breathing. Even the lights in the hallway outside started to flicker from his leader’s pulsing frustration in the Force. He snapped his head back up toward the Knight across from him. “He’s injured! Kuruk, the med pack!”

Kuruk nodded then turned toward the control board behind him, tossing his hands up in the air with a clueless shrug. “Where is it?”

“Below you!” A voice called from the other open room behind Cardo, who rose his finger in the air in agreement.

Kuruk leaned down and pulled out a green-and-red med pack from under the control board. He opened it, carefully inspecting its contents to make sure enough was in there, and tossed it toward Vicrul, who caught it without looking. “Found it! Bring him in!”

Vicrul nodded. As soon as he rose to his feet, the doors opened with a loud hiss. All the Knights rose to their feet and bowed their heads respectfully, placing a fist over their chests. Vicrul looked up first to inspect Kylo, tucking the med pack under his arm. As he had suspected, the Supreme Leader was definitely injured. The man’s eyes were growing swollen and red. His pupils faded from an intense bright yellow back to its very dark brown. The scar that ran across his brow down to his collarbone tucked under layers of black clothing had grown a bright pink bordering on red and tugged at the healing skin on his cheek. The worst of the damage was a horrifying sinewy mess of muscle on his cheekbone that seemed to snake down to his chin. The festering yellow and red patches that emanated from it sprung Vicrul’s mind into action. Kylo probably received the burn from Mustafar; Mustafar had natural gas fumes that spat out from the core; said gas fumes were full of chemicals; chemical burns required bacta and _fast_.

The Umbaran Knight stepped forward and began to open the med pack. “Master Ren-“

Kylo stormed past him towards the open doors. “Where’s Albrekh?”

A pair of wiry brown ears popped out from the open doors. “Albrekh?”

Cardo stepped aside as a new creature stepped into the room. It slid its protective electro-goggles up onto its forehead to reveal a simian face with deep brown eyes. The Symeong metalsmith wore a dark brown robe with a tool kit wrapped around his small chest and a large belt strapped tightly around his waist. His pale hands wiped off the grime under his fingernails on his front and walked up to Kylo. Although the alien only came up to the Supreme Leader’s abdomen, he still walked tall and kept his head raised high.

Kylo’s chest heaved up and down in anger. “You said I would find something. And _don’t_ say-“

Albrekh blinked at him in confusion. “The Oracle wasn’t there?”

“He _was_ but it led to a dead end!”

“What did it say?”

“Nothing I wanted-“ Kylo began to growl then let out a loud groan of pain as his face continued to burn, placing a hand over his cheek. An invasive jolt of pain shot upward to his eye. He started to use his gloved fingertips to scratch at his eyelid. As soon as he felt something small pop and some strange warm liquid run down on his hand, he groaned again.

Ushar acted quickly. He stepped in front of the Supreme Leader and guided him toward one of the seats. “Vicrul, the bacta spray.”

Vicrul nodded quickly. He shooed Cardo out of the way, waving his free hand dismissively, and sat down next to Kylo, digging out a small-pressurized container. He placed the med pack on the ground in front of his feet and shook the container. Kylo shook his hair out of his face and slowly lowered his hand. 

Cardo took a step back to allow space. “Master, if the pain is too much-“

“I’ve had worse.” Kylo said, gritting his teeth.

Vicrul disengaged the safety nozzle and began administering bacta to the wound. Kylo let out soft grunts of pain and tilted his head to allow the translucent blue substance to seep into his skin. His nostrils flared at a sudden twinge of pain before it subsided. His eyes began to water and he began to blink rapidly, taking a deep breath.

_Ben…_

Albrekh shuffled to stand in front of them. “Perhaps wearing the mask would help contain-“

“I don’t need my mask.” Kylo grumbled.

Everything came to a pause. Ap’lek, who promptly rose to his feet and slammed the knob of his long axe on the floor, interrupted the silence. The Pau’an’s dark yellow eyes flickered up and down in frustration as the Knight considered his leader. “What?”

“I don’t want it anymore.” Kylo responded simply.

“But… you’re one of us.” Cardo added. “A Knight of Ren.”

“I’ve found no use in hiding my face.”

Kylo squinted as the bacta began to take effect deep within his skin, sharp stinging hooks latching onto damaged tissue and sewing it back together. He remembered Snoke leering over him, commanding him to removing his mask, the gnarled mouth damning him for pretending to be something he could never be. The intense adrenaline and anger that shot through his system as he smashed his helmet in the lift had shaken him to his core. 

The Symeong shifted his stance and adjusted his goggles with a rough sigh. He shook his head and looked around the room. “Albrekh is learning new customs all across the galaxy. Time is changing.” The metalsmith then patted Kylo’s knee. “Keep the pieces… for your brothers in arms. Honor the pledge.”

_BE LOYAL TO REN, AND SERVE YOURSELF AND ALL YOUR KIN AS YOU MAY. SEEK THE LIVING; GIVE HEED TO THEIR WORDS AND REMEMBER THEM. LIVE, CONSUME, DO NOT APOLOGIZE. NOTHING WILL BE RIGHT OR WRONG. REIGN AS YOU MUST._

Kylo regarded Albrekh, raising his head slightly. However much he had decided to hate the mask, it was still a symbol. He was the Master of the Knights of Ren, one of many roles he had to play. If the pieces of his helmet had to come into the fray once more, he would use them. Now they would serve as a token of his honor.

The Supreme Leader sat up in his seat, raising his chin in a dignified manner, and looked around at his Knights. “…do you accept this?”

“Yes, Master.” The Knights chanted in unison.

Kylo nodded then sat back in his seat. “Kuruk, you should be in the pilot’s seat.”

Kuruk bowed his head. “Yes, Master.”

Kylo dismissed the Knights with a wave of his hand. Once they dispersed, he leaned forward in his seat, removing a bacta patch from the med pack and opening it. He pressed the patch onto his neck and sighed deeply, closing his eyes.

A steady hand rested briefly on his shoulder. “I’m sorry you didn’t find what you were looking for.”

He did not look up. The pair of rough and torn brown-and-black boots that stood near him told him that it was Trudgen. He also caught a hint of the enormous vibrocleaver that hung from the bandolier on the Knight’s back. Kylo opened his eyes and finally, just briefly, glanced up at him. “…thank you.”

Trudgen nodded. “Brother.”

The Knight then left him to his thoughts.

\---

General Armitage Hux was not a patient man.

The First Order was once a mighty power to sweep through the galaxy and usurp all that stood in their way. Now with the past destruction of Starkiller Base and the even greater fiasco of Supreme Leader Snoke’s death combined with the once-in-a-lifetime Rebel kamikaze maneuver that destroyed most of the fleet and the _Supremacy_ , they had to pause their endeavor in order to regroup and grow in numbers. It was nothing short of disastrous.

Even the subsequent Battle of Crait was a failure, which only made Hux scowl more.

Ren, who aggressively assumed the role of Supreme Leader, was a knitted, distracted mess after Hux discovered Snoke’s bisected body. He let his emotions get in the way of the main objective and even wasted valuable time engaging Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, who Hux later found out, was _not even there_. Some buried Jedi trick had allowed the rest of the Resistance to escape through the abandoned base. A small victory perhaps but meaningless.

Watching Ren slowly make his way into a separate room made him tremble with anger that day. He was able to contain himself enough in the presence of the troops that cased the rest of the base around him. Setback after setback after setback.

Hux had wanted to _explode_.

After that day, Ren recovered from his meltdown and assumed some semblance of maturity and power. He sent word to the network of First Order spies littered around the Mid Rim to the Core territories about the remnants of the Resistance. At the same time, he had sent his Knights of Ren to scout out the Unknown Regions. For that, they received no word about any Resistance activity.

It was a reasonable and simple plan. Too bad that since then, there was no inkling of evidence. Not even the slightest hint of activity. With that in mind, Ren then decided to disrupt _all_ communications; if the Resistance could not contact people, then no one could. This left a sticky situation of course for Hux to handle. He knew the news of Luke Skywalker’s death rang throughout the galaxy. The seeds of rebellion quietly grew as the First Order replenished their numbers; they had had to by now.

And Kylo Ren chased _ghosts_.

“General Hux.” One of the other older generals- General Pryde- stood in the doorway. He was taller than Hux with arrogant blue eyes and a high hairline, slicked back black-grey hair peeking out in tufts. “The Supreme Leader has landed.”

“Thank you, General. I’ll see to him myself.”

General Pryde nodded and let Hux pass him. Hux stepped into the lift and placed his hands behind his back as the doors closed. The lift shuddered slightly then zipped down to the ground level. Glimpses of Coruscant’s neon night-lights flashed through the viewports. Once the lift came to a stop, he briskly descended down the stairs and across the marble plaza to the landing pads outside. Giant First Order flags flowed softly in the wind, revealing flaking murals of the old Imperial crest and shattered golden stain glass windows.

The _Night Buzzard_ shut off its engines with a loud groan, spitting out a black cloud. The Knights of Ren walked out soon afterwards, standing on each side of the exit hatch. Finally emerging from the dimly lit void, Kylo Ren stepped out and walked toward the grand staircase. The Knights followed closely after him. Something was wrong with the Supreme Leader’s face. Hux could not make out any finer details from where he stood but he could make out the telltale glimpses of pain as Kylo surveyed the midnight blue skies above. Now that he had gotten rid of the mask, Hux could identify many of the emotions that dared to spill out from behind his stony exterior and it both pleased and terrified him to no end.

A quartet of animals lurked around the grand staircase. Their short prickled brown fur jutted outward from them and their hackles raised as the Supreme Leader walked up the stairs. Letting out a chorus of staccato yips, the lead creature jumped down from its resting spot around a statue and landed on the separating blocks in front of Ren. The other three jittered in excitement, shaking their naked, black tails and shiny naked red heads.

Products of Sith alchemy, the Symeong under the care of the Knights of Ren had grown them from another artifact Kylo had found. Of all the Sith concoctions and artifacts Ren was able to dig up, this one was the strangest. He had originally deemed the mirkhounds as unnecessary, demonic animals. Mistakes. Whatever deluded solutions he was searching for in the galaxy, they did not please him.

That was when Hux stepped in.

Hux usually enjoyed watching Ren suffer and lose. He also took pride in the fact that they were opposites; where Ren saw failure, he saw something far more substantial: _opportunity_. So, taking the mirkhounds under his wing, he trained the beasts into serving as personal guards. Why bother with corruptible human minds when there was a group of mindless animals with unquestionable loyalty?

The lead mirkhound watched the Knights of Ren advance then turned its gaze back toward Kylo. The Supreme Leader raised his chin and looked the creature in the eye. The mirkhound flattened its short ears and began to growl, revealing a set of sharp lopsided teeth, stepping aside to watch the group pass intently. It walked beside them and hopped back up onto the separating blocks, digging its enormous claws into the stone. The other mirkhounds growled and barked at them, lowering themselves as if ready to spring. Once the Knights of Ren and their Master reached the top, Kylo signaled for them to depart. Hux stepped forward to greet him, avoiding eye contact with the Knights, who tracked mud and clumps of dirt and ash as they passed him.

Before he could even open his mouth, Kylo swerved around him and stalked across the plaza.

“Welcome back, Supreme Leader.” Hux said, stepping quickly to catch up with him. “Did your little scavenger hunt find any success?”

“It did not. How is the fleet?”

Hux smiled. “We’ve met little resistance in taking down communication between the systems as far out as the Expansion Region. The resistance is weak-”

Kylo stopped and spun around to face him. “And we haven’t located them yet?”

Hux kept his tone even, though he knew deep inside, he would have sneered in contempt. “Your little personal endeavours are delaying-“

“The resistance is in _pieces_.” Kylo replied. “They have been since they escaped us on Crait. They’re weak and they know it.” He turned away and began to walk forward once more. “Now, if you’ll excuse me-“

Hux stayed right where he was. “How about the matters of the Jedi?”

That was a sore spot. The scavenger Jedi who distracted Kylo on Takodana, who thwarted him on Starkiller Base, who slain Snoke in his throne room, who helped the rebels escape Crait. Of course, she had to enter discussions once more. With the death of Skywalker, she was a symbol of hope and renewal. The very mention of the Jedi- _Rey_ , Hux had learned through reports- sent Kylo into a mood. He watched the Supreme Leader immediately stop mid walk and his gloved hand spasm at his side. Kylo turned to face him again, his unruly black hair whipping his marred cheek. His voice was deep in his throat as if he wore his mask again. “What of the Jedi?”

“There’s been no initiatives to hunt her down. Care to explain that?”

There was a long, pregnant pause before Kylo finally answered. “We would be wasting resources.”

“That scavenger took down Supreme Leader Snoke.” Hux gritted out. “By all means, she is just as an enemy of the First Order as well as the rest of her allies.”

Kylo snarled and entered the open lift, gesturing dismissively with his right hand. “She will be taken care of.”

Hux watched the lift doors close and the lights dim as the lift car shot up the spire to the main control room. “Duly noted.”


End file.
